Article retainer



D 19 J. E. BORAH 2,963,256

ARTICLE RETAINER Filed Sept. 23, 1957 FIG.4

INVENTOR. JOHN E. BORAH ATTORNEY ARTICLE RETAINER John E. Borah, South Bend Modern Molding, Inc, 815 E. Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka, Ind.

Filed Sept. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 685,701

7 Claims. (Cl. 248-346) The present invention relates to an article holding and gripping device.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide positive holding and gripping devices for articles such as drinking glasses, mixing bowls, flower pots, ink and paste bottles, condiment containers and the like, which are particularly adapted for use on trains, buses, boats, airplanes, and in automobiles, trailers and mobile homes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article holding device which grips both the article held and the surface on which the holder is placed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article holding and gripping device which permits the article to be placed in position in the holder before it is gripped and before the article is secured to a supporting surface.

Still another object is to provide a one piece resilient holding and gripping device for articles, which can be easily fabricated with standard equipment and can be readily cleaned during service.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holding and gripping device adapted for receiving and holding articles of various sizes.

Another object is to provide a holder for flower pots, drinking glasses and the like which firmly grips both the article and the supporting surface and which contains a basin for receiving and holding water below and/or around the bottom of the article.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of one of my article holding and gripping devices, showing an article in broken lines in the position which it occupies before the gripping action is eflected;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the holding and gripping device illustrated in Figure 1, showing the device gripping an article and also the surface supporting the device;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of a modified form of my holding and gripping device showing an article in place before gripping is effected; and

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the device illustrated in Figure 4 showing the device gripping the article and the supporting surface.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of my article holding and gripping device of rubber or rubber-like material, consisting of a disc shaped body 12 having a flat upper surface 14 and an upstanding annular Wall 16 joined integrally with the outer edge of the body and a concave lower surface 18 terminating in an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 20. A rather shallow annular groove 22 in the peripheral wall of body 12 near the lower edge thereof renders the flange highly flexible so that it will form an effective seal with the surface on which the device is supported. The center 24 of body 12 is relative- 2,95,25fl Patented Dec. 6, 1960 2 1y thin and highly flexible while the marginal portion 26 is relatively thick and relatively firm. The concave lower surface 18 of the body together with flange 20 forms a suction cup 30 for securing the device onto any suitable supporting surface, such as a table, drain board for the kitchen sink, bath tub and lavatory.

With the foregoing construction and relationship of parts, when the highly flexible center 24 of body 12 is depressed to cause suction cup 30 to engage a supporting surface 31, in the manner shown in Figure 3-, the portions of the body radiating from the center tilt downwardly adjacent the center and are held in this tilted or depressed position by the vacuum in the suction cup and tilt upwardly and inwardly adjacent the outside edges of the body. This distortion of the body compresses or squeezes annular wall 16 inwardly, decreasing the size of the space 34 within the confines of the wall, thus causing opposed portions of flange 16 to grip the article in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. In Figure 1 the device is in its non-gripping position with wall 16 substantially vertical, and a drinking glass, jar, bowl or like article 36 has been placed in the holder. It will be noted that the article fits loosely within space 34 out of contact with wall 16. When the glass 36, for example, is pressed downwardly, flange 20 is depressed, creating a partial vacuum in the suction cup for securing the device to the supporting surface. When the pressure on the glass is released the partial vacuum in the suction cup pulls the highly flexible center downwardly producing the tilting action on the portions of the body radiating from the center and consequently compressing wall 16 inwardly into the position shown in Figure '3, where it effectively grips the sides of the glass and holds it from being accidentally dis-v lodged from the holder. The glass is thus effectively held in the holder by the gripping action of wall 16 and the device is effectively held on the supporting surface by the suction cup. When the glass is being held in this manner it will not fall or slide from a table, lavatory or drain board on a train, boat, trailer 'or the like, from jarring, tilting or rolling. The glass, however, is not held so firmly by the device that it can not readily be lifted from the holder when it is to be used, and it can be reinserted in the holder While the wall is compressed by pressing the glass downwardly with a little force. It is thus seen that it is not necessary to disengage the holder each time the glass is removed, and if desired, the holder can be pressed into gripping engagement with the supporting surface before the glass is initially placed in the holder. This last mentioned gripping operation can be easily accomplished by pressing downwardly with the fingers at the center of the upper surface of body 12. The degree of vacuum in cup 30 and hence the gripping action can be increased by increasing the concavity of lower surface 18 This also increases the gripping action of wall 16 on the article placed in the holder.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in Figures 4 and 5, and a number of the features associated therewith are identical in construction and function with those features of the embodiment just described; therefore, like reference characters have been applied to like parts and a detailed description of those parts omitted. This modified form includes body 12 having a concave bottom surface 18 terminating in annular flange 2d, relatively thin central portion 24 and relatively thick marginal portion 26. The periphery of body 12 contains annular groove 22 which permits flange 20 to be depressed and distorted to form an effective seal with the surface supporting the holding device. The upper surface of body 12 is slightly concave and is adapted to receive and retain water draining from the article placed in the holder. The principal difference between the present embodiment and the one shown in the first three figures lies in the annular gripping walls 38 extending upwardly from the upper part of the body. These walls are arranged in terraces or steps 42, 44 and 46 and corresponding risers 48, 50 and 52, and provided with annular spaces of varying sizes for holding various sized articles. In Figure 4 a flower pct 54 of an intermediate size is shown resting on step 44 out of engagement with riser 50. The dual gripping action is created the same in this embodiment as in the previously described embodiment. When the pot is pressed downwardly, air is expelled from suction cup 369 as flange 20 and flexible center 24 yield under the pressure. When the pressure is released the partial vacuum in the suction cup holds the suction cup in firm engagement with the supporting surface and retains the center in its depressed position and it in turn holds the side Walls in their compressed position in firm engagement with the sides of the flower pot, as shown in Fig ure 5.

Water draining from the hole in the bottom of the conventional flower pot is retained in the bottom of the cup formed by the concave upper surface and, in the illustration in Figures 4 and 5, by riser 48. Water draining down the outside surface of the pot or other article placed in the holder will collect in the space defined by riser 52 and thus prevent the water from soiling the supporting surface.

The preferred form for flange 20 is shown in the drawing; however, other shapes may be used so long [as substantial support is given to marginal portion 26 and an effective seal is formed around the lower periphery for maintaining the vacuum in the suction cup once the device is pressed into its gripping position. A flange and suction cup, such as those shown at numerals 12 and 16, respectively, of Figure 3 of my copending application Serial No. 677,426 filed August 12, 1957, may be substituted for the single large suction cup 30 of the present invention.

While only two embodiments of my invention have been illustrated herein, various changes and combinations of features can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a disc shaped body of resilient material having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion and a concave lower surface, the lower peripheral edge of said body being below the highest point of said concave surface; a flexible downwardly and outwardly extending flange encircling the lower surface of siad body and being disposed directly beneath said thick marginal portion, said concave surface being of approximately the same diameter as said body; a shallow annular groove in the periphery of said body in close proximity to said flange; and an upstanding annular flange of substantial thickness integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof.

2. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a disc shaped body of resilient material having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion and a concave lower surface; a flexible downwardly and outwardly extending flange encircling the lower surface of said body and being disposed directly beneath said thick marginal portion, said concave surface being of approximately the same diameter as said body; a shallow annular groove in the periphery of said body in close proximity to said flange, and an upstanding annular flange integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof and increasing in internal diameter by steps from bottom to top.

3. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a disc shaped body of resilient material having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion and a concave lower surface, the lower peripheral edge of said body being below the highest point of said concave surface; a flexible downwardly and outwardly extending flange encircling the lower surface of said body and being disposed directly beneath said thick marginal portion, said concave surface being of approximately the same diameter as said body; and an upstanding annular flange of substantial thickness integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof.

4. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a disc shaped body having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion and a concave lower surface; a flexible downwardly and outwardly extending flange encircling the lower surface of said body and being disposed directly beneath said thick marginal portion, said concave surface being of approximately the same diameter as said body; and an upstanding annular flange integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof and increasing in internal diameter from bottom to top.

5. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a disc shaped body having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion, the lower peripheral edge of said marginal portion being below said central portion, a downwardly extending flange near the lower edge of said body and directly beneath said thick marginal portion, and upstanding opposed flange portions integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof.

6. A device adapted to 'be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a body having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion, the lower peripheral edge of said marginal portion being below said central portion, a downwardly extending flange near the lower edge of said body and directly beneath said thick marginal portion, and an upstanding annular flange integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof.

7. A device adapted to be secured to a supporting surface and to hold and grip articles, comprising a body having a relatively thin flexible central portion, a relatively thick annular marginal portion, a downwardly extending flange near the lower edge of said body and directly beneath said thick marginal portion, and an upstanding annular flange integrally attached to the upper surface of said body near the peripheral edge thereof and increasing in internal diameter by steps from bottom to top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,753,611 Lower Apr. 8, 1930 1,892,140 Fogler Dec. 27, 1932 2,329,279 Lower Sept. 14, 1943 2,511,768 Carlson June 13, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,563 Germany Oct. 15, 1932 

